Thrilling Regular Season Finish for Mooretown Flags
SUNDAY JANUARY 31, 2016
The Mooretown Flags ended their
Great Lakes Jr. C hockey regular
season with a huge win after
defeating the Blenheim Blades 6
- 5 in overtime and firming up
4th place in the standings.
"That was a thrilling game from
start to finish!" said a
jubilant head coach Doug
Slipacoff after the game.
"It's probably
some of the best 60 minutes we
played all season from start to
finish"
Blenheim, a big team in size
were 4 - 0 coming into this game
and the Flags knew they had
their work cut out for them.
"I think today the guys kind of
realize that it doesn't matter
how big you are they put their
gear on the same way we put our
gear on." said Slipacoff
Just :08 seconds into the game
hearts dropped as the Flags took
a high sticking penalty and were
short handed early in the game.
But spirits rose as Ryan Lyle
picked up the puck and skated in
and scored the first goal
shorthanded :32 seconds later.
The period would continue with
goals going back and forth and
the Flags came out on top
leading 3 - 2 after the first
period.
Blenheim's first goal was at
6:59 by George Wood, Lyle
added his second goal at 7:25
with Joe DeSena and Brent Blais
assisting. At 15:17
Blenheim tied the game with
Brayden Hopkins scoring.
The final goal of the period was
by Captain Matt Brandon at 17:32
with assists by Lyle picking up
his 3rd point of the game and
Joe DeSena added his second
assist.
In the second both teams scored
power play goals the first by
Blenheim's Braeden Allore at
2:01 then at 14:48
Alec Seagers scored with Nolan
Riley and Ben Morrison
assisting.
The Flags ended the second
period leading 4 - 3.
Third period saw Bryce Broad tie
the game once again at 8:34 but
less than a minute later Parker
Gilhuly from Cameron Rannie and
Trevor Bogaert regained the
lead.
The two teams continue to battle
it out and Blenheim scored their
final goal at 15:48 by George
Wood and the scored remained
tied at five all at the final
buzzer and the game went into 3
on 3 overtime.
"We made a point to
go after their D and dump the
puck in on them and finish our
checks and I think in the third
period they started to hear
footsteps and a couple of
turnovers and thankfully for us
we were able to capitalize."
In the overtime period a couple
of close calls in the Mooretown
end but Parker Gihuly picked up
the pass from Colin Osler near
the blue line and with an
attacker on his heals he skated
in and made a diving shot that
went in to win the game.
Blenheim outshot the Flags 47 -
39. Flags netminder
Brandon Johnson playing in his
final regular season game earned
the win with 42 saves.
"On a special night for
graduating player Brandon
Johnson I couldn't ask for a
better result for a great kid.
I'm very happy for him."
Slipacoff said
Eric Stewardson suffered the
loss made 33 saves.
Both sides went one for three on
the power play.
"In our last 10 games I think
were were 3 and 7 and we just
had a lot of bad luck. said
Slipacoff "We
just stayed positive and credit
to the boys in the room, every
time they come to the rink they
are smiling and laughing and
enjoying themselves and they
don't get down. Today was
playoff hockey when we needed a
win and we got it so home ice is the
advantage in the first round of
playoffs."
"We set out at the start of the
year that we wanted home ice
advantage. Slipacoff said when
asked what his overall thoughts
were of his first year as head
coach.
"Leaving it to the
last home game maybe not the way
I vision on achieving that but
we did it and I'm so proud of
the guys for just buying in and
believing in themselves. As a
team today we finally showed
what we are capable of and were
ready for the playoffs."
With home ice advantage the
expectation is that the Flags
will meet Lakeshore in the first
round.
"Lakeshore is a tough opponent."
said Slipacoff "We matched up ok
with them this year, they beat
us a few times so we have some
payback."
Final schedule will be release
later this week.
